The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) is developing technology that can provide large-capacity, long-distance mobile communication infrastructure through aerial vehicles such as drones, and it is expected to play an important role in quickly establishing emergency communication networks in disaster situations and resolving communication issues in the defense sector.

ETRI announced that it successfully demonstrated a 1.3 Gbps mobile communication service at a distance of 2.5 km between an airborne vehicle and a ground system in Taean-gun, South Chungcheong Province, late last year. Additionally, a speed of 300 Mbps was achieved at a distance of 10 km.

This technology has succeeded in providing communication coverage over a wide area by operating multiple aerial vehicles.

The technology to provide large-capacity, long-distance mobile communication infrastructure based on aerial vehicles developed by ETRI can build rapid mobile communication infrastructure without terrain restrictions by utilizing aerial vehicles such as drones and urban air mobility (UAM) in a 150-meter low-altitude aerial environment.

The technology consists of △airborne communication base stations △long-distance, high-capacity air-to-ground (A2G) links △infrastructure operation/management/control systems.

The airborne system consists of a 45kg X-8 drone equipped with a 5G small cell base station and an airborne mobile backhaul terminal, and is connected to the ground system via millimeter wave (mmWave)-based long-range communication technology.

The ETRI research team explained that by loading small cells and mobile backhaul terminals onto drones or UAMs, they can quickly respond to rescue and relief efforts in disaster areas.

In addition, we succeeded in communication by applying technology that overcomes the short transmission distance limitations of the millimeter wave band and provides wideband high-speed data transmission.

Using this technology, ETRI has developed a large-capacity long-distance communication system between the air and ground, which can smoothly transmit multi-channel 4K UHD video even at a distance of 10 km.

This technology is expected to be utilized in various industries, including the defense sector, in addition to disaster response.

ETRI's Bae Jeong-sook, head of the Intelligent Wireless Access Research Lab, said, "It can be widely used not only in disaster relief but also in areas with insufficient communication infrastructure, and will be of great help in ensuring the safety of people's lives."

ETRI Baek Yong-sun, head of the 3D Communication Research Center, said, “This technology is the foundation for 6G 3D communications that encompass terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.“It will be a technology,” he said.

This study was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency, and Ness & Tech Co., Ltd., Innowireless Co., Ltd., and KT Co., Ltd. participated as joint research institutions.

ETRI has been recognized for its research excellence in this technology, achieving results such as publication of SCI papers, winning awards for excellent papers at international academic conferences, and applying for and registering domestic and international patents.